Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is on administrative leave as he faces charges in the Dominican Republic. The 23-year-old is accused of sexually abusing a minor, among other serious accusations. ESPN's Juan Arturo Recio reported on Thursday that Franco will stand trial after the evidence was deemed sufficient.

“Judge Pascual Valenzuela determined that both the accusation and the evidence presented by the prosecution had sufficient merits to warrant a trial,” Recio reported. “Valenzuela would rule on a verdict at the trial, which does not have a set date yet.”

Franco signed a 12-year contract with the Rays in 2021 but was placed on administrative leave in July of 2023. The promising young player is not allowed to leave the Dominican Republic while the matter is unsettled. He was unable to report to the Rays for spring training and has not played this season.

Wander Franco's legal situation continues

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This wraps up the previous update from this case, which was the delay of the preliminary trial. Now that the preliminary trial has taken place, the legal system will begin to dissect this case. While the date could be very far in the future, expect to hear plenty of updates when it begins.

If Franco is found guilty of the charges, he faces up to 20 years in prison. The charges accuse him of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl while he was in his 20s. That girl's father withdrew a separate complaint he had made back in January after reaching an agreement with Franco's lawyers. Further details on that transaction were not released.

Franco's charges are being taken seriously by Major League Baseball, as he has not been on the official roster since the charges were announced. While the Player's Association will likely get involved if he is found guilty, there is no precedent for exactly what will happen.